Russian oppn leader Navalny barred from presidential poll

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has declared his intention to run in next year’s presidential elections , is ineligible to be a candidate, the country’s central electoral commission said on Friday.

“Currently Alexei Navalny is not eligible to stand for office,” the commission said, citing the fact that he is serving a five-year suspended sentence for embezzlement, which falls into the category of a serious crime. Someone who is convicted of a serious crime cannot stand for public office for 10 years after their sentence ends, the panel said.

Navalny and his erstwhile business partner were convicted of embezzlement in 2013.

In a legal confusion that Navalny hopes to exploit, the Russian Constitution says anyone who is not in prison can stand for election.The 41-yearold lawyer argues that he is eligible to stand for election because he is serving a suspended sentence and is not a prisoner. AFP